Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli
The accused, recognized as Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, 28, was arrested on October 25, 2025 and charged within the U.S. District Court with assault with a harmful weapon with intent to trigger bodily hurt whereas travelling on an plane. He is anticipated to seem in federal courtroom in Boston at a later date.
As per the skilled profile, Usiripalli is a scholar at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago since 2022. Court filings revealed that Usiripalli, who entered the U.S. on a scholar visa, has been pursuing a grasp’s diploma in biblical research. He at the moment doesn’t have lawful standing within the United States. A search of his social media profiles additionally revealed a YouTube channel by the title ‘Palson Pranith’ with two subscribers and no movies.
The incident was reported on Lufthansa Flight 431 shortly after meal service. Usiripalli allegedly attacked a 17-year-old boy seated beside him, stabbing him within the shoulder with a metallic fork. He then reportedly lunged at one other 17-year-old passenger seated close by and stabbed him at the back of the pinnacle, leaving {the teenager} with a laceration.
As flight attendants and passengers tried to restrain him, Usiripalli allegedly mimed capturing himself by forming a gun form along with his fingers and pretending to tug the set off. He then turned in direction of a feminine passenger and slapped her, earlier than trying to strike a member of the cabin crew.
The disturbance led the pilots to divert the plane to Boston Logan International Airport, the place Usiripalli was detained by legislation enforcement officers upon touchdown.
If convicted, Usiripalli faces as much as 10 years in jail, three years of supervised launch, and a high-quality of as much as $250,000.
Published – October 28, 2025 08:31 pm IST
